A SC larger bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad has passed the order while hearing suo motu on Coronavirus in the country.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-May 18th, 2020) The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday ordered reopening of shopping malls shut down earlier amid fears of Coronavirus, observing that the shopkeepers would die of hunger if the shops were not opened.
A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad passed the order while hearing a suo motu on Coronavirus and the government’s response. The CJP remarked that the shopkeepers would die of hunger if the shops were not opened.
“If the shops are shut down the shopkeepers will die of hunger,” CJP Ahmad remarked.
Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani appeared before the court and said that some shops were sealed for violating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) announced by the government.
At this, the top court remarked that the shop keepers should not be intimidated rather they should be made understand the situation and SOPs.
“The seal markets and shops should be opened,” the top court remarked.
The SC also ordered that all the small markets and shops should be opened for the public on weekends.
